Martin O’Neill started off this Premiership season living up to the hype as World’s Greatest Manager Ever, but Aston Villa have gone off the boil a little bit of late to the point that Andy Gray thinks they could even be in for a relegation battle.
Some might be disappointed with the turnaround but, as Martin says, he did try to keep feet on the ground,
“We’ve actually got 33 points on the board, and how we’ve got them – whether we got them at the start of the season, whether we got them in October or whether we got them at some stage, we’ve got them because it’s a long season and it’s a long season for everyone,” said O’Neill on Sky Sports News.
“The Premiership has, to me, and this is the one thing I’ve noticed since I’ve come back, it doesn’t get any easier.
“I remember you talking to me when we were about sixth in the league and was it possible to get into the Champions League?
“And I said to go and get your head examined!
“The point I’m making is it is pretty difficult, the whole Premiership is pretty difficult.”
O’Neill is a quality manager, so patience isn’t going to be hard to come by around Villa park as many key players in his squad are new to the team and settling in (Petrov, Carew, Young). However, we always thought that O’Neill’s big claim to fame was getting the most out of journeyman, less talented players like he did at Leceister. But what do we know.
Then again, it is only his first season in charge. In accordance with the rules of the universe, he needs 5 to get it right. Expect success any sooner, and you are a fickle, fickle, terrible supporter who should go support Chelsea… or something.